Winter rain and snow slowly chipping away at drought conditions

Thursday

Jan 12, 2017 at 10:59 AMJan 12, 2017 at 11:05 AM

By Colin A. Young / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Boston has seen almost two inches of rainfall this month and about eight inches of snow and the Worcester hills have seen almost as much of both. Despite the precipitation, a drought persists like the last Christmas decoration to go back into storage.

The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday reported that 8.59 percent of the state's area is still experiencing an extreme drought -- no change from last week but still 36.12 percent less than two weeks ago.

At the height of the drought, in September, more than 52 percent of the state was in the extreme drought classification, which spurred widespread outdoor water bans and other conservation measures.

The Monitor also reported that 59.02 percent of the state is experiencing a severe drought -- down just a tic from the 60.54 percent that counted towards that category last week. A shift from the severe to the moderate category for the Plymouth area accounts for the dip.

Cape Cod, much of southeastern Massachusetts and the northwest corner of the state -- totaling 30.48 percent -- are classified as experiencing a "moderate drought," up from 28.96 percent last week with the addition of Plymouth.

Martha's Vineyard is the only part of the state classified as "abnormally dry" and Nantucket is the only region considered to be sufficiently hydrated, according to the Monitor.

The slow retreat of a drought that parched Massachusetts for months comes as snow and wintry mixes take the place of rain in our forecasts. Because the drought had become entrenched over so many months, it takes streaks of above-average rainfall to counter some of its ecological effects.

"Since late fall, precipitation has been on the increase in New England, but not great enough to put a major dent in the long-term deficits," David Miskus, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service/Climate Prediction Center, wrote in a summary of the Monitor's report Thursday. "It has improved short-term conditions, but shortages remained at 9-months and longer."

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Kurt Schwartz echoed that sentiment in a statement last week, urging residents to do what they can to save water even while the drought may not be as visible as it was in August.

"While recent precipitation has helped to reduce the severity of the drought in parts of the state, drought conditions continue and the public is urged to take steps to reduce indoor water usage," Schwartz said in the statement. "Recovery from this long-term drought will require both continued conservation measures and above-normal levels of precipitation for the foreseeable future."

Last week, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton declared a "drought advisory" for Cape Cod and the islands, a "drought watch" for northeast Massachusetts, and a "drought warning" for the rest of the state. Regions under a drought warning should eliminate outdoor water use, according to EEA. EEA has also urged residents to reduce indoor water usage, fix any indoor leaks, and conduct water audits to conserve water during the winter.

Since July 1, Massachusetts has been under its own drought declaration, activating the Massachusetts Drought Management Plan and holding monthly meetings of the state's Drought Management Task Force.

From May until mid-September, the Drought Monitor's assessment of dehydrated conditions in the Bay State worsened weekly. The drought was blamed this summer for contributing to wild fires, an outbreak of gypsy moths, higher rates of ant infestation, smaller than usual apples, loss of crops, a shortage of cattle feed, and an elevated population of mosquitoes able to carry West Nile virus.

Nationwide, 22.5 percent of the continental United States is experiencing a drought, effecting 119.3 million people or roughly 37 percent of the country's population, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.